Automatic draining device



Feb. 23 1926.

W, E. Mael-MEL AUTOMATIC DRAINING DEVICE Filed Deo. 3l, 1924 Patented Feb., 23, 1926.

WARREN CE. MICHAEL 0F BUFFALO, YNEEIW `YORK.

AUTOMATIC pnAINinmpm/mn I f `applicati@.inea ;Deeemim- 31, 1924.V seriarNo. 759212.

To ,all wlw/1n it may concern:-

Beit known that l, VAnnnN E. MICHAEL.V

a ycitizen of the United States, residing at Builalo, in the county of Erie and -State of New York, have invented new and useful lnfiprovements in Automatic Draining Devices, of whichithe'following is a' specification. y

This invention relatesto a draining device whiclris more particularly intended for draining the water from opposite ends of a steam engine cylinder whenk any condensation of steam voccurs and thereby'prevent` knocking outthe ends 4of the cylinderby l5 the movement of the piston as frequently occurs in the event of water being trapped between` the opposite sides of the vpiston and theend heads `of the cylinder. y

It is the object of this `invention to pro- ^vide an automatic devicefor thispurpose which will provide communication between opposite ends .of `the cylinder and the ,exteriorvof the saine when wthe engine is at rest and therebypermit any `water of condensation to flow therefrom and avoid -displacement or ,driving ,out vof the Vcylinder heads when the operationof the engine is resumedwhich` draining device is also so constructed that during the operation of 30 the .steam engine it will automatically shut olfthe escape of steam through the draining device from thatV end of the cylinder which is receiving live steam for propelling thepiston toward the opposite end of tbc cylinder is connected l.by the draining device with an outlet so as topermit any water of condensation which may be present inthe last mentioned end of the cylinder to escape therefrom and thereby avoid d-riv ing out the head on the correspondingend of `the cylinder by the pressure of the piston. Y Y

In the accompanying drawings Figure l, isa longitudinal section of a steam engine cylinder and piston equipped with my invention.

Figure 2, is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the automatic draining device embodying my improve ments. v`

Figure 3, is ay cross section of the saine taken on line 3-3, Figure 2. e

Similar characters of reference indicate y,corresponding parts of the several figures.

same while the last mentioned end of the NAlthough. this invention is .capable of be.- lnginstalledln steam engines and similar structures which may vary in details `of i construction ,the same in the present instance isy shown in connection with a steam engine having 'its cylinderI composed of a `cylindricalbody 5,heads 6,7 Whichclose 0pposite ends of the body, ports 8 and 9`foi' alternately delivering live steam and exluiusting spent steam from opposite ends` ot' the cylinder, a lpiston l0 reciprocating in the cylinder and -a lpiston rod All connected with Ythis piston and passing through a stuiiing box 12 to the exterior thereof ,and connected in any suitablemanner withthe means which are tobe actuated by theisteam engine. i e

ln `its preferred `form the automatic drainin`g, devi.ce containing my invention and illustrated in the ydrawings is V,constructed asfollows :e e

The numeral llyrepresents the valve body or frame which is provided at its opposite" lends and preferably in axial alignment with two outlet `chambers 1st, l5, the outer ends. of which are connected by pipes 16, 17 with the opposite ends of the engine cylinder` 0n the central` parts Vof vthe body the same is provided with. two outlet ,ports 18, 19 which preferably lead `to `a single drain or discharge 4pipe v2Oy leading to the V,sewer .or any `other desired place where Vthe water drained from the cylinder is discharged. Each of these `outlet ports counnunicates with the inner end of 'one lof the outlet chambers and the latter is Vproi'lided with an inwardly facing valve seat around the place of communication between the respective outlet chamber and the ,corresponding out- 'let port. These valve seats 'are indicated A at 2lfand 22 and are preferably of conical form.` Arranged within the two outlet chambers are two cut oif valves A23, y24 preferably of conical form and eaclnadapted to `move toward and from thecorresponding valve seatrin therespective outlet chamber for the purpose o f cutting off communication between each chamber and its outlet port or establishing communication therein. These cut ott valves are provided with ,A valve stems 25 and 26, respectively, which are arranged axially in line and project. ,tof ward each other from the interior of the outlet chambers throughlguides 27., 28 on`l the `inner parts` of the body .and into an ficV opening 29 between these guides, which opening isin communication with the exterior of the draining device. The opposing inner' ends of the two valve stems and 26 are connected with. each .other so that they move lengthwise in unison and thereby cause these valves to be so operated that when one of them moves toward its seat the other one moves away from its seat. By this meansone end of the engine cylinder "will be placed in communication with the outer atmosphere through the drainpipe 20, while the other endof the engine cylinder is cut off therefrom, and viceversa. In the preferred construction the opposing endsof the valve stemsl are connected by a coupling sleeve`30 having an internal screw thread which engages with corresponding screw threads on the inner ends of the valve stems and after these parts are assembled? unscrewing of these' parts relatively toeach other, is prevented by` cotter pins 31 passing y through thisi coupling sleeve and the'two valve stems, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.A

When 'the engine isnot in operation and no steam pressure is present `in either endv ofthe Cylinder the two cutA o'ffva-lves v23 and are held y in ltheir central position in which both of themA a're"open,'tliis being preferably accomplishedl'by means of two springs 32, 33 which surround the valve stems and engage withv their inner ends against opposite ends of the coupling sleeve 30v while their outer endsvengage with the guides 27', 28 'which practically form part of the body or frame of the 'draining device.

W'hen the engine is at rest and both ends of its cylinder are in communication with the external atmosphere by reason of both drain valves being open any waterof condensation'which may be yformed in both ends of the engine cylinder will be permitted to escape therefrom and flow: out through both loutlet y elm-miners and to the drain pipe 20 of thedraining device so that upon .subsequently starting the engine no interference "jom water will occur and no` liability of injuring theengineexist's. v

li/Vlie'n,however, the engine fis running' and la pressure o f live steam exists in one end of thee'ngine cylinder for driving the piston therein towards :the opposite end of' the cylinder', part A of this live steam passes into-the corresponding outlet chamber o'f the draining rdevice and forces the drain -valve therein against :its seat thereby preventing the escape of 'any live steam from the working end of the engine through the draining device. lris the pressure of the live steam moves tthe outlet valve corresponding to the working end of the engine vc if'linder against itsseat'the other drain,` valve in the opposite outlet chamber com-j municaiting with the' Aopposite v-end of the engine cylinder is moved away from its seat, thereby uncovering the' outlet port of this last mentioned chamber and permitting any water of condensation which may be present in the exhaust end of the engine cylinder to flow through the corresponding outlet chamber and outlet port tothe drain pipe 20. This position of the two valves ofthe draining device is indicated in Figure 2.

Y Upon now reversing the steam and exhaust connections ofthe engine cylinder so as to admit steam into that end of the cylinder which has just exhausted and permitting, the spent steam from the opposite end of the cylinder to escape to the atmosphere. Part of the steam admitted to that end of the engine cylinder which is now the working end will pass into the outlet chamber which previously served to' drain the water of condensation to the drain pipe 20, thereby causing the valve therein to be forced to its seat and prevent the escape of steam `while the other valve is simultaneously movedaway from its seat so as to permit any water of condensation from 'the opposite or exhaust end ofthe cylinder to pass this open valve and run to the corresponding outletport `and to the drain pipe 20.

lThis reversal of the operation of the valves of the draining device occurs with every stroke of the engine cylinder due to the admission of live steam alternately into opposite ends of the engine cylinder which simultaneously causes the two draining 100 valves to be automatically shifted alter-A nately by steam pressure 1n the direction for cutting off communication between the live. or working end'of the engine cylinder and the atmosphere and thus preventing 105 waste of steam while at the same time the opposite dead or exhaust end of thel cylinder is placed in communication with the drain pipe or atmosphere so as to permit a freeV discharge jof water of condensation from the 1m same and avoid any dama-ge to the engine which otherwise would be the result.

This lautomatic draining device is very simple and inexpensive in construction, it is positive and reliable in its operation, it is .115

compact in construct-ion lso that it does not take up room which is required for other purposes audit can be readily installed on engines of standard construction without requiring any alteration therein.

I claim as my invent-ion An automatic draining device for opposite ends of a steam engine cylinder, comprising two outlet chambers each adapted to be connected with one end of the engine cylindery and each provided with an outlet port and a valve seat around said outlet port,.valves arranged in said chambers and ,each movable toward and from the respective valve seat for closing and opening the corresponding outlet port, a Connection between said valves for causing one of said valve-s to open While the other clos-es consisting ol valve stems arranged axially in line on 'said Valves and projecting through said chambers to the exterior thereof and toward each other, :t coupling sleeve having a screw connection with the outer ends of said stems, and springs each Surrounding one of Said stems vand bearing at one end 10 against said coupling sleeve and at its other end against the adjacent part of the corresponding outlet chalnber.

WARREN E. MICHAEL. 

